Russia is still trying to formulate a response to Ukraine's operation in Kursk, but so far, this response has been slow and disorganized. This was stated by NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, General Christopher Cavoli, during a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) event on August 15, reports Voice of America.
According to Cavoli, Russia's sluggish reaction is due to several factors. First, there is a lack of clarity about who should be responsible for combat operations within Russia. Second, Russia lacks the available forces that it can deploy against the operation in Kursk.
"Russia is still trying to pull together a response to Ukraine's incursion. So far, it has only been a rather slow and scattered reaction. This is partly because Russia hasn't established who has the authority. The Ministry of Defense is responsible for military actions inside Ukraine, but not within Russia, right? So, it should be the Ministry of Internal Affairs," General Cavoli analyzes.
"Secondly, Russia doesn't have any free forces that it can deploy there. The level of involvement and the share of Russian ground forces currently in Ukraine is very significant," says NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Cavoli emphasizes that the units remaining in Russia that could potentially respond to such an issue are conscripts, who are theoretically and legally prohibited from fighting in Ukraine. Therefore, these are not the combat units from which the fastest response can be expected.
The NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe highlights that Russian authorities have deployed many air forces to the Kursk region, but it is unclear how many ground forces will be involved and what impact this will have.
"Some units have arrived from eastern Ukraine to engage in battle. Obviously, they will be prioritized over units from other locations. I think Russia will have to make decisions on their part regarding timing and the availability of troops," says Christopher Cavoli.
Additionally, in response to a question about the state of the Ukrainian army, Cavoli noted that despite the challenges faced by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, he was impressed by the innovations Ukraine has demonstrated in military, technical, and tactical terms.
"I think we see some of this during the offensive in the Kursk region. So, there are certainly challenges, but Ukraine definitely has the capability to overcome them," Cavoli remarked, emphasizing the swift and firm response of allies in supporting Ukraine's defense.
"For the past few years, it has been absolutely remarkable what Ukraine has been able to achieve with the support of perhaps 50 different countries around the world, who have voluntarily come together to assist them in their struggle," Cavoli said.
